Stuck in the middle
by SilverCyanide5689
Summary: Will Callie choose to live with the Quinn's or Steph and Lena?
1. Chapter 1

Callie was three hours past curfew. She quietly snuck into the house, trying to make the door squeak as little as possible.

No one was waiting for her behind the door. Clear. She tiptoed towards the living room. No one was waiting for her in there. Clear. She tiptoed towards the stairs. No one was waiting for her in the kitchen. Clear. She tiptoed towards the stairs and then quietly up them, skipping the creaky third step from the bottom. No one was waiting for her at the very top of the steps. Clear. She turned the corner that led to her bedroom, just one more doorway. She quietly opened the door. Busted.

Steph and Lena sat silently on her bed.

"Hi." Steph said.

"Hide in the kid's room…instead of in the living room. Smart." Callie said.

"You're three hours past curfew," Lena said, "Care to explain?"

"I was with Wyatt. We fell asleep. Nothing happened."

"We called him. Try again." Steph said.

Callie sighed, "Daphne is having some issues…Kiara and I went over there tonight to try and help…we fell asleep."

"As a cop, do I need to be aware of the issues Daphne is having?" Steph asked.

"No."

"Okay. Grounded two weeks."

"But I was helping a friend!"

"You're not grounded for helping Daphne. You're grounded for lying to us about where you were." Lena said.

"Fine. Hey, where's Mariana?"

"Some dance team thing. Get some sleep." Steph replied.

Steph and Lena both walked out of the room, headed towards their bedroom.

"Does she think we're stupid?" Steph asked as she pulled back the comforter of their bed.

"I don't think so. I think she's fifteen."

"Do we confront her about where she actually was tonight?"

"I think we need to let her come to us. When she wants to talk about Robert…she will."

The next morning Lena awoke to Steph already awake, sitting up in bed.

"Worried about Callie?"

"Yeah. We need to talk to her."

"Okay. "

After breakfast was cleaned up, Steph spoke, "Everyone who isn't Callie, myself, or Lena, vacate this room, please."

After the other children left the room, Callie stared at Steph and Lena, who sat across from her at the table, "What did I do now?"

"You tell us." Steph said.

"Look…I don't want to play games. Just tell me what I did, tell me my punishment and we can all move on with our lives."

"I told you. I was with Daphne."

"No." Steph said, "Do you want to be grounded another week for continuing to lie to us?"

"No." Callie said.

"Steph…come on, she isn't ready." Lena said.

"Ready for what?" Callie asked.

"Where were you last night?" Steph asked.

"With. Daphne."

"Stop. Lying."

"I'm. Not. Lying."

"Callie…can I have a second with Steph…?"

"Just figure out what you want from me, okay?"

Callie stood in the hallway, trying to listen to their conversation.

"Steph…when she wants to talk about Robert…she will. We need to pretend we believe she was with Daphne. Okay?"

"No. Ignoring our problem isn't going to make it go away and considering her past…is that really something we want to teach Callie?"

"No. But we're not ignoring it. We're letting her process what's going on in her own time. When she is ready to talk to us…she will."

"I need to talk to her now."

"Are you afraid she's going to pick the Quinn's over us?"

"Terrified. Which is why I want to talk to her now."

"Callie…come back." Lena called into the hallway.

Callie walked back into the kitchen, "Yeah?"

"We all know you were with the Quinn's last night. So…stop pretending you were with Daphne, okay?"

Callie nodded.

"Did he ask you anything?" Steph asked.

"Like?"

"Last week…" Lena began, "Robert came to us…and asked if we would allow you to move in with him, Jill, and Sophia. We told him it was completely up to you. Did he ask you if you want to live with him?"

"Yes."

"What did you tell him?"

"I'd think about it."

"It's completely up to you, whatever you choose we'll support." Steph said.

"Does Jude know?"

"No."

"Can we keep it that way?"

"I was going to suggest that." Steph replied.

"Callie…if you choose to move out…it changes nothing between us and you can visit Jude any time you want."

Callie nodded. "Can I have time to think about it?"

"Absolutely."

"Am I still grounded?"

"Yes ma'am." Steph said.

Callie nodded, walking off.

"Are we really going to let her make a decision that big on her own?" Lena asked.

"We have to. Technically…we are only her foster parents. Robert has legal rights to her."

"Is it mean to say I hope she chooses us?"

"I hope not. I feel the exact same way and I'm sure Jude feels the same way."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Don't expect updates in any sort of routine. I'm a college kid, so my time varies from week to week.

Callie sat in her room, she had the journal that Timothy gave her one of her first days with Stef and Lena. She grabbed her pan and began to write.

_Do I stay with the Fosters and Jude, or try and build a relationship with the Quinn's?_

She threw the notebook at the wall as hard as she could.

"What's got you in a knot?" Mariana asked walking into the room and pouncing onto her bed.

"Nothing. How'd that dance team thing go?"

"Good. "

"Win?"

"No. But we placed."

"Good."

"You sure you're okay?" Mariana asked.

"Yep."

The next day, Callie sat with Wyatt in Timothy's English class.

"Callie," Timothy said, "Lena would like to see you."

Callie rolled her eyes, but left the classroom peacefully.

Callie sat in Lena's office, waiting for Lena to speak.

"You doin okay?" Lena asked.

"I'm fine."

"Then why did I get an email from your math teacher saying you had been acting out today?"

"That class sucks."

"Are you sure it doesn't have to do with the decision you're about to make?"

"Not at all."

"Sweetheart, I know Stef and I left the decision up to you…but if we can help you decide, we will."

"I know."

"Good. Let's deal with math class."

"What about it?"

"You're too old to be acting out in class…no matter what might be going on outside of school."

"Okay."

"Mrs. McClinton has requested you spend the afternoon in detention with her."

"Okay."

At home, that afternoon Callie, Jude, Brandon, Jesus, Mariana, Stef, and Lena all gathered for dinner.

"So, what's going on in the world of my five wonderful teenagers?" Stef asked.

"I've got to practice for the band's gig on Saturday, I'm gonna eat in my room," Brandon said taking his plate of food from the table before Stef or Lena could stop him.

"I've got a date with Hayley, so I'm not eatin' here." Jesus said leaving as well.

"I don't eat fish, remember?" Mariana asked.

"Since when?" Lena asked.

"Since forever. Duh." Mariana said walking off.

"Callie, Jude…where do you guys need to be tonight?" Stef asked.

"Nowhere." Jude said taking a bite out of his fish.

"Nowhere." Callie said, doing the same.

"Well, okay. What's going on in the world of my two favorite teenagers?"

"Detention sucked." Callie proclaimed.

"You brought it on yourself." Lena said.

"Jude, how was your day?" Stef asked.

"Fine."

"Are things with Conner any better?"

"Not really."

"Stef, Lena…can I talk to you?"

"Sure. Jude, why don't you go watch tv while you eat." Lena suggested.

Jude nodded, glancing at Callie with a concerned expression.

"What's up?"

Callie sighed, "I've thought about it. I don't think I can form a relationship with Robert by only spending a weekend here at there with them. He's my father, Sophia is my sister…no getting around things."

"You're right." Lena said as Stef instinctively grabbed her partner's hand.

"Can I spend a week or two with them?"

Lena looked at Stef, "If Jill and Robert are okay with it. We are."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I know it's been forever and a half since I updated. This semester has been really rough, so I haven't had time. But it's winding down, so I should be able to post more frequently now

"How do I tell Jude?" Callie asked.

"He can handle more than you give him credit for. Just talk to him," Stef said.

"He quit speaking when I first met Sophia."

"There were other issues at play at the time." Lena said.

"Are they resolved?" Callie asked.

"As well as to be expected."

"In a hypothetical situation…" Callie started.

"I hate hypotheticals. It's what people say when they don't want to admit a situation is real. Just say what you need to say," Stef said.

"If I were to move in with the Quinn's would I stay at Anchor Beach?"

"Momma?" Stef asked, "That's your area."

Lena thought to herself, "Yeah. Their house should be within Anchor Beach's district."

"Will you guys be home for awhile?" Callie asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Stef responded.

"I'm gonna talk to Jude…but…I don't want him to feel like he has nowhere to go afterwards."

"We'll stay close," Lena said.

Callie sighed, and walked off towards the living room.

"How much did you hear?" Callie asked as she sat next to her brother.

"Enough," Jude said quietly.

"How do you feel?"

"Does everything we've been through mean nothing?"

"Of course it does. Why would you say that?"

"Because if it meant to you, what it means to me, you wouldn't abandon me, or this family, the family I work hard to keep!" Jude yelled, running into the kitchen, skipping Stef and Lena without even a glance and going into the backyard and climbing a tree.

"Do we both go after him?" Lena asked.

"No. I think we need to let him calm down first."

"That went well," Callie said walking back into the kitchen.

"Callie, Jude has a lot on his plate right now. More than he's letting you in on. Cut him some slack."

"Like what?"

"Like, he needs to be the one to talk to you…"

"About the camping trip…everyone already knows. It's all around school."

"What is everyone saying?" Lena asked, but moreo demanded.

"That Connor and Jude had sex in the tent…I don't care if my brother is gay. That doesn't bother me."

"They kissed, for sure. But…I don't know about actual sex," Lena said. "Jude was incredibly vague and I can't get Connor's side of the story since I'm no longer a school official and Connor's dad won't let him come here anymore. The point is…Jude is questioning some pretty important things about himself right now, and I know it's not your intention, but he feels like your abandoning him when he really needs you."

"But…he hasn't even told me anything. I heard from Whyatt."

"Who did he hear from?"

Callie shrugged.

"I'm going to try to talk him out of the tree before he falls," Lena said leaving the table.

"If it's going to hurt Jude…I'll cut contact with the Quinn's." Callie said.

"Is that really what you want?" Stef asked.

"No."

"Do what you feel you need to do. I know you care about Jude, but at some point…you have to realize he's not a baby."

"I won't cut contact, but I'm going to stay here."

"Is that what you want?"

"I want Jude to be happy."

Lena stood outside with her hands on her hips, "Jude…please, I'm begging you…come down," she pleaded for what seemed like the millionth time.

"No!" He screamed.

"Why not?"

"I don't wanna!"

"Jude…please. It's gonna be dark soon."

"No! I'll sleep up here!"

"You will certainly not sleep in a tree!" Stef commanded as she stepped into the yard.

"You can't make me come in!"

Stef and Lena looked at each other and sighed, "You're right. We can't. I hope you don't get cold," Lena called. They both walked back into the house.

Jude continued to sit in the tree for another hour, he then jumped down and sat on the bench in the backyard. Lena noticed him from the kitchen window and silently stepped onto the porch.

"You want to tell me what that was about?"

"The tree was starting to hurt."

"Now, you know that's not what I meant…" she said sitting next to him, "What's going on?"

"I thought me and Callie were a package deal…"

Lena gently motioned to Stef though the kitchen window. Stef walked out on the porch and sat on the opposite side of Callie.

"You and Callie are a package deal," Lena said, "I'm sorry her adoption is taking longer than it should."

"Are you afraid that if Callie stays with the Quinn' she'll choose Sophia over you?" Stef asked, "because she made it very clear to me earlier that if it hurts you…she'll cease all contact with them."

"No. I'm afraid that they'll get attached to her, and they'll fight for custody. We already come from different Dads, don't split us up!"

"Jude…I have no idea what's going to happen tomorrow. I do know…right now, Callie is safe in her room." Stef responded.

Jude nodded.

"What did you mean earlier, when you were talking with Callie…you have to fight to keep us?" Lena asked.

"I don't want you guys to not love me."

"Jude Adams-Foster, we adopted you. We could never fall out of love with you." Stef said.

"Connor's dad says faggots are unloveable," Jude said as he collapsed into Lena's arms and began sobbing.


End file.
